Thanks guys. I genuinely didn't think I'd ever acquire this particular Silmarillion --so uncommon, and so expensive. Which was annoying, as I actually wanted to have a good look at its bibliographical features. But, luckily, this one dropped into my hands, as it were. The price wasn't too shabby either!

The auction doesn't quite tell the story though. The spine is actually better than it looks in the sellers pictures; I'm quite happy with that now --the white just seems to have come off. However, after receiving, I discovered an issue; or two! Not a handling issue, but a manufacturing fault.

Part of two of the gatherings are entirely loose i.e. the pages are unbound --this being the middle of the fifth gathering (covering pages 139-150) & the middle of the ninth gathering (covering pages 267-278). In both cases this is three full sheets. They still sit very flush (when the page edges are viewed from the fore-edge, head [gilt], & tail) with the other (bound) pages around them.

You could miss them, easily --but I'm a pedant & I soon teased out the issue. I have removed them both once, to note exactly what is loose & what is not. That's it; I won't be going near them again, as they have been sitting nice & tight for nearly thirty years, & I'm only going to work them looser. The seller, because of these issues, provided a partial refund.

BH

Posted on: 2012/2/16 13:58

Edited by Khamul on 2012/2/18 14:55:16

_________________You drive a hard bargain – you can have it for £10 all-in – one consolation (for you) is that you do not have to hear the cries of my children, for bread...

Hmm... I'm not really sure if I'm too bothered garm. A bookbinder would surely have to pull it apart; replace endpapers etc? Even if this was all good, any future (although unlikely, as I won't sell it) buyer would be seriously put off by the knowledge that it had been restored in this (or "some", if this was poorly communicated) way.

If you were mad enough to grab it by the spine & shake it --these pages wouldn't come out. They're pretty well held in just by the pressure of neighbouring pages & the pressure of the gutter. Remember, it's not a loose leaf --it's a sheet; two leaves attached together --the fold is still deep in the gutter, well held in place just by the natural shape of the binding.

BH

Posted on: 2012/2/16 14:50

_________________You drive a hard bargain – you can have it for £10 all-in – one consolation (for you) is that you do not have to hear the cries of my children, for bread...

I see - well I've taken a book with a loose page to this binder (he was making a couple of clamshell boxes for me). I asked him if he'd take a look at my dodgy book, while I was there. He took said book over to the workbench; applied a scintilla of paste from a pot, with a brush; and after a few moments handed back the book - good as new!

Find a good local bookbinder - at least he/she will be able to advise you as to the best thing for your book.